Parminder Nagra & Keira Knightley May Reunite as Bend It Like Beckham 2 Takes Shape (Photo Credit – Prime Video)
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Over the last couple of months, a new trend has emerged around the world and everyone is hoping onto it. Sequels are back and better than ever. Be it Devil Wears Prada returning with a second movie or Jurassic World being back with a new film. Zootopia and Avatar are also coming with new parts.
Zootopia 2 is on the horizon and so is Avatar 3 which is titled Fire and Ash. Now, another name is joining the list and it’s none other than Bend It Like Beckham. The sports comedy drama movie released in 2002 and was a smash hit. It seems it’s time for a sequel and a delve back into the world.
Bend It Like Beckham 2: Is A Sequel Happening With The Original Cast?
Gurinder Chadha, the director of Bend It Like Beckham, has confirmed to Deadline that a second film is in the works. About the upcoming movie, she said, “I’m excited to revisit the original characters and revive the enduring story and build on the legacy we helped to create for the women’s game.”
The first film starred Parminder Nagra as Jesminder “Jess” Kaur and Keira Knightley as Juliette “Jules” Paxton. Gurinder revealed that the original cast members including Parminder, Keira, Archie Panjabi, Juliet Stevenson and plenty of the other names “are aware that a sequel is being developed.”
“They obviously want to see a script before they commit. I’m pretty certain that everyone’s going to want to come back,” the director felt. She added, “Everything hinges on the script and if the original cast likes it. I am working really hard to make sure every character I bring back has a decent arc.”
As to why it took so long for her to see a sequel to the classic film, Gurinder said that it was because she did not have a story. When she recently came up with something great and super-cool, she felt inspired. She explained that she came up with the concept a month ago and she wants to bring back the characters once again and hopes to execute it quite properly.
Bend It Like Beckham: Cultural Impact
“Women’s football is more competitive ,more exciting, and more global than ever. It is an honor for me to be a small part of it,” Gurinder pointed out and then revealed that she hopes for the sequel to release in 2027 coinciding with the 25th year anniversary and the 2027 FIFA World Cup tournament.
For the unversed, the tournament will be hosted by Brazil and held from June 24 to July 25, 2027. Gurinder also revealed how nobody was even remotely interested in supporting women in sports, especially football. The first film was about uplifting women despite society and all of its prejudices.
She is grateful that Bend It Like Beckham is a part of the legacy of football and women players. She hopes to make it hard-hitting, incredibly joyous and worthy of putting women on the map like they truly did 23 years ago.
